Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Printable Version
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Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Art Hoch - 03-04-2013
"jontz" on this phorum and I just concluded making a deal for his Philco 38-1 cabinet. I had been looking for one for some time to mate with my working 38-1 chassis and speaker which has been a shelf queen for about 3 or 4 years. Now, after returning from a trip to Indiana & Ohio, I'm examining the cabinet and trying to determine how the chassis mounted on the sloping shelf. I see some blocks on the sloping cabinet shelf apparently matching with the corners of the chassis deck but no holes for chassis bolts (which I don't find any provision for on the chassis either).
My question is: How does the chassis mount on the sloping shelf? Is it simply set on the shelf with gravity making it rest against the back blocks and the chassis front shafts keeping it from tilting back and falling out of the cabinet or what is the answer? [That doesn't seem plausible to me.]
I'm aware there are 4 horizontal prongs ("tits" I call them), 2 on each side of the chassis. I assume they are there for some reason.
(Doug, if you're reading this, I meant to ask you about this, but forgot when we made the transfer!
) Thanks guys,
Art
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Arran - 03-05-2013
Those pegs normally fit into some rubber shock mounts which then fit into recesses in a wooden block or a board. The 116 chassis I have has a pair on the front that are supposed to fit into recesses on the inside front of the cabinet.
Regards
Arran
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - jontz - 03-05-2013
Art,
Both my 37-116 and 38-116 both just set against the blocks at the back. That's how the chassis in the 38-1 I gave you was "mounted" as well. According to Ron when the radios shipped from the factory there were J-bolts that held the chassis down, but these were removed by the dealer and the chassis just floats in the cabinet. I have a 38-7 as well that also has a floating chassis. I'm sure Ron will chime in and straighten us all out though.
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Art Hoch - 03-05-2013
Doug,
Seems like a "risky" arrangement on that chassis if one was to move it around the room it's in. Perhaps the shafts on the front would prevent any catastrophe. Think I might make some at least 2 woodent blocks, drill holes in them the size of the pegs (tits), then cut the blocks in half, and screw down the top half over the pegs to make it a little more secure---at least for my faint heart!!
Art
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Ron Ramirez - 03-05-2013
Jontz is right - the metal "pegs" or whatever you wish to call them were there only for the special J-bolts to hook to as the set was transported from factory to dealer, and from dealer to the home of the original owner. Once at the home of the original purchaser, the J-bolts were to be removed and the set left to "float" on its rubber cushions, which are usually missing or disintegrated today.
The 1938 models had rubber cushions placed in the wooden blocks in back of the chassis so that the chassis rested against the rubber, not the wood. The rubber was intended to prevent microphonics.
It wasn't Philco's responsibility to have the chassis bolted down once the set had been purchased by the original owner - that was the set owner's problem if he or she wished to move it to another part of the house. Remember, this was a time when common sense and personal responsibility prevailed, unlike today when everyone is looking to sue somebody for the slightest provocation.
Let's leave it at that and not get into the political, OK?
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Art Hoch - 03-05-2013
Ok guys. Guess I'll put some cushioning against the blocks on the chassis shelf and let it go at that. Thanks.
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Arran - 03-05-2013
The only trouble with Philco's logic is how is the new owner supposed to remember that the chassis is not secured to anything, assuming that he was informed of this when the set was delivered? What was the logic behind having a big and heavy chassis just sort of sitting there? The 1936 Philco 116 had similar peg that fitted into rubber mounts at the front of the cabinet, the rear end was bolted down with shock mounts inbetween. I wonder why they didn't use the steel pegs as a shock mount rather then as a temporary anchor? With the Canadian Westinghouse and Rogers built chassis, which were also quite large and heavy, they used four bolts to hold the chassis down, as a matter of fact I don't think I have seen a set where they totally relied on gravity to keep things in place.
Regards
Arran
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Art Hoch - 03-06-2013
I've been looking at the inside of the cabinet and see a narrow shelf below the chassis shelf, extending the total width of the cabinet. It's about 4 inches below the back of the sloping shelf and has two carriage bolts centered in it, 6 inches apart. It's slightly below the hole for the speaker (in the speaker board) but not butting up against it (centered front to back). Looks to be factory installed.
Any idea what this would be for?
Art
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Ron Ramirez - 03-06-2013
The speaker mounts to that board. I've never seen the back of a 38-1, but if the speaker mounts the same in it as does the 38-116 and 38-690, then it hangs upside down when bolted in.
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Art Hoch - 03-06-2013
Well I'll be!
First one I've seen like that. (Not a Philco expert by any means) I checked the speaker I have which I think is original. (see attached pic) The mounting bracket with holes that apparently would use those bolts, when mounted would align the speaker with the hole in the front of the cabinet.I wondered why there were no "normal" small bolts around the perimeter of the hole in the speaker board. I was prepared to use some small screws to mount it there. As heavy as that speaker is, the shelf and bolts would be appropriate.
Thanks Ron.
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Arran - 03-06-2013
It looks like they used some sort of hook like a "J" bolt to hold the speaker down, probably with a flattened end to fit those slots. Why they would bother with such custom hardware in this case I have no idea.
Regards
Arran
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Ron Ramirez - 03-07-2013
No, in the case of the speaker, two conventional round head bolts are used which have a "square" for lack of a better term under the rounded head. This "square" locks into the holes in the mounting ears of the U-28 speaker used in the 38-1. A washer and nut are attached to each bolt, on top of the speaker mounting board.
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Art Hoch - 03-07-2013
Ron's description is typical of a "carriage" bolt.
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Ron Ramirez - 03-07-2013
Yeah, that's it.
I was at work when I composed my previous post and could not think of the proper term. Philco used these to hold all of their heavier speakers in place - the early H series in 1929-31 consoles, U series speakers in 1933-38, and the 14 inch W series in 1937-38.By the way, Art, I forgot to congratulate you on finally acquiring a 38-1!
Your U-28 speaker looks very clean, too, by the way.
RE: Securing 38-1 chassis in its cabinet - Art Hoch - 03-07-2013
Ron,
It IS[u] clean as is the chassis I have. Each radio has its story it seems. Here are a couple of mine.
Two radios were given to me by two friends, brothers who are in the construction business. They did some remodeling in the college president's home in the town I live in. It had been built originally by a doctor and his children gave the house to the college after their parents died. It turns out there were two Philcos built into the wall or built-in cabinets along the wall. (my friends asked me if I wanted the radios---silly question right?---otherwise they were going to the dump!!
) The cabinets were no where to be found. The first radio was a 16-B. It had been built into an alcove/nook in a family room wainscoated with the old thick grooved wainscoating. Slots were cut in the wainscoating for the speaker and the controls and both were hung on the backside of a door fashioned out of the wainscoating. I restored the chassis--speaker needed nothing. I found a guy with a cabinet in Oklahoma. Restored the cabinet--pictures attached. Great receiver on all bands!About 2 years later, more remodeling, and the 2nd radio came my way---this 38-1. Dusty but no rust or corrosion. Again, no cabinet. Plays great--again on all bands. So it's been a shelf queen for the past 2-3 years. Then I finally found "jontz" with his cabinet on ARF and we made a deal for his cabinet and the cannibalized chassis in it.
My speculation is the good doctor bought these radios in the 1930s and had them installed in a manner which would not take up floorspace because they both are radios in LARGE cabinets as you know.
Aren't I lucky!!
Art